Fatwa ID: 02671

Answered by: Moulana Imran Mughal​

Question:

Assalamualaikum

Assalamualykum, recently we had an ijtima in our country, serving of food was done by the masjid and well trusted people, in that food, packaged cakes were served to the public with tea …..The PERSON who brought the cakes said the cakes were halal but in actual fact they weren't (THIS was found out after the cakes were given out or distributed ) .

I also consumed the cake. My question are as follows :  

1) Am i sinful for eating the cake? Taking into consideration that they were distributed by well trusted aalims/people  and the masjid committee to the public & we people who ate the cake are innocent as the person said the cakes are halal, we nvr wanted to eat something haraam            

2) Is my ibadaat accepted? as it is said words to effect that for forty days ibadaat is not accepted but am innocent as on inquiry the person said its halal

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Answer:

Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh

Because it was not in your knowledge that the cake was haram it will not be sinful. Additionally you should repent towards Allah. However, caution must be given in the future to deter situations like this one.

As for your second query, a person’s worship is still accepted regardless of whether he ate haram knowingly or unknowingly.

Imam Mulla Ali Qari explains this understanding as such:

“Imam Mazhari says: This hadith and those like it are based on deterring individuals from these actions and not to relieve them of their obligatory duties, this is clear by understanding that the prayer of a pious person is more virtuous than that of a disobedient individual, because disobedience negates the complete effect of prayer.

Imam Nawawi says: For each act of obedience there are two aspects to consider, one is the not receiving of complete reward which is meant in this case.”[1]

Only Allah knows best

Written by Moulana Imran Mughal

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham